


The one where dr. Banner is sure of three things

by storyweaving



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Aunt Darcy is the best, F/M, M/M, Superfamily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-09
Updated: 2012-09-09
Packaged: 2017-11-13 21:24:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/507856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storyweaving/pseuds/storyweaving
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Darcy?” he calls out, in the awkward tone between shouting and talking because it is silent and you don’t want to disturb that silence, afraid some monster might pop out if you do. There is no monster appearing, though, and neither is Darcy. He makes sure that he remembers what page he is on before he swings his legs over the edge of the bed and gets up, pulling a tee over his head.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The one where dr. Banner is sure of three things

**Author's Note:**

> This kind of happened after seeing this gif ( http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4o6kkqzlE1r0x9x6o1_500.gif ) and imagining the scene. All mistakes are Loki's fault.

Doctor Bruce Banner is sure of three things right now.

 

Bruce is rather sure that Darcy had only gone out to get herself a glass of water before bed.

 

Bruce is rather sure that getting herself a glass of water before bed isn’t a good idea.

 

Bruce is rather sure that getting a glass of water doesn’t take that long.

 

The silence in their room is deafening. The only sounds are his own breathing and the turning of the pages. Call him old-fashioned for reading a book instead of a tablet. Books are for fun, for off-time while tablets were for work.

 

It is a warm night, and he lays on top of the soft covers in the only pair of comfortable, old jeans he owns. His phone is on the bedside table, in case of emergency; the others are out to handle some sort of crisis, leaving him, Darcy and Loki behind with little Peter.

 

Not that Loki is in the building. He is probably dwelling through the city, perhaps he has transported himself to somewhere less sweltering. As long as he is harmless, Bruce doesn’t mind him disappearing. He isn’t one to judge on another’s anti-social tendencies.

 

“Darcy?” he calls out, in the awkward tone between shouting and talking because it is silent and you don’t want to disturb that silence, afraid some monster might pop out if you do. There is no monster appearing, though, and neither is Darcy. He makes sure that he remembers what page he is on before he swings his legs over the edge of the bed and gets up, pulling a tee over his head.

 

Basically all of Stark Tower is carpeted, and his feet make no sound as he treks to the elevator on their floor.

 

“Could you get me to the common room?” he asks of JARVIS when he reaches it.

 

“Very well, sir” the artificial computer replies and the little box goes up smoothly. Strangely enough, he doesn’t really feel that claustrophobic in this elevator. Maybe because of the feeling that this is home, that this is  _safe_. 

 

The elevator does not ping and the doors open without a sound. Clint often jokes that Tony put his house on silent mode at night. Bruce was fairly sure that was on purpose, and he was grateful. Too many couples, too much embarrassment and awkwardness if the house wasn’t soundproofed.

 

The door to the common room and kitchen  is open and hall is bathed in artificial light.

 

“But sweetie, that’s not exactly fair, huh?” Darcy’s voice drifts through the open door.  She uses the voice she reserves for one person only. He follows the sound of it and leans against the doorpost, observing the scene.

 

Peter is sitting on the marble kitchen island cross-legged. There is a first kid and band-aid strewn all over the place, and Bruce is fairly sure he sees blood. His hand is outstretched towards Darcy and she places a kiss on the top of his finger, over the green band-aid. There is a bun on the counter, with a knife next to it.

 

“I don’t care” Peter sulks moodily. His hair is a mess, and he seems to be on the verge of crying. Bruce can see him biting on his lip in an attempt to stop the salty tears from falling. “They promised!” Darcy makes a soothing sound and ruffles his hair. He swats at her hands.

 

“It’s not like they wanted to break that promise” she says as she gathers him in her arms. He’s such a scrawny kid, that even Darcy can carry him around, even if he struggles for a few moments

 

“What promise?” Bruce says, and maybe that wasn’t a good idea because there she almost dropped him.

 

“Steve and Tony promised to take him out for dinner, since he aced something at school” she tells him with a sidelong glance.

 

“Very well done” Bruce says with a smile as he nears them. People call him and Tony science bros, which kind of makes this child is nephew. He doesn’t mind Peter being his nephew at all. Such a well-mannered boy. When he isn’t moody, that is.

 

“But now they left” Peter sulked. “I hate them! They are mean and stupid.” He struggles some more in Darcy’s grip and she puts the five year old down before she actually drops him. Bruce squats down, tipping his chin up with one finger to meet his eyes.

 

“Hey, it’s not their fault” he tells him. “They are saving the world right now, Peter.”

 

“They are  _always_  saving the world!” the boy scoffs. “Why can’t they just take one day off?”

Tears are welling up in his eyes and Darcy is torn between running away and doing an attempt at comforting him, Darcy Lewis-style. Bruce takes a deep breath as he quickly tries to avert at least the latter.

 

“Hey listen up, kiddo” Bruce says. “This, not being there for you, is very hard for them too. They want to be there for you. But if they don’t save the world, there isn’t going to be a world for you to grow up in. They want you to grow up happy, in a safe world. They don’t do this for SHIELD or the world, but for you.” 

 

Peter is stunned into silence by this, and considers his words. His shoulders slumps. He looks guilty and nods miserably. Bruce wipes the tears away before they fall. Peter doesn’t want to cry; he wants to be brave and be like his fathers. He doesn’t know every parent cries once in a while.

 

“Hey, it’s getting late” Darcy says. “Let’s put you to bed, okay?”  But Peter stubbornly shakes his head.

 

“No! I wanna stay up and apologize!” They know Tony and Steve are going to make a fuss about this, but they meet each other’s eyes and nod. Peter  _needs_  this.

 

“What about watching a movie, then?” Darcy suggests. The five years old is torn between being stubborn –one of Tony’s traits they didn’t want him to pick up- and watching a movie.

 

“Popcorn?” he asks hopefully, looking up at her.

 

“Salt” Darcy says. Peters likes sweet better, but Darcy is already being generous so he nods, holding out his hand to seal the deal. She shakes it and he seems satisfied.

 

“Hey, go and pick the movie” Bruce tells him as he gets to his feet, “we’ll make popcorn.”

Peter bounds away to the media area to do just that. Bruce turns around to find that Darcy has already located the popcorn and is in the process of putting it in the microwave. Bruce watches her, smiling.

 

Her dressing gown is luckily an appropriate one –Steve blew a fuss about that after an incident with Natasha-, and she has a blanket draped over her shoulders. She looks lovely, as usual, and Bruce wonders if she wants kids, if they have a future together.

 

“What happened?” he asks, nodding to the first aid kit still on the counter as he grabs a cloth and cleans the blood from the counter.

 

“I found him when I was getting a glass of water. He was hungry and angry and tried to cut the bun himself but cut into his finger” she explains, turning to watch him. He throws the ruined cloth away and nears her to wrap an arm around her. “I disinfected the cut-“

 

“Good that I taught you to do that” he interrupts and she gives him a dirty look. Darcy is clumsy and he has disinfected scrapes and cuts so many times that he taught her to do it herself.

 

“-and put band-aid on it. He wanted a Hulk one.”

 

This warms his heart but saddens him at the same time. He knows why Peter wanted the Hulk; he was the only superhero left at the house when everybody else was out, fighting crime and apparently breaking promises. 

 

The microwave pings and Bruce gives Darcy a small kiss, just a peck really- they can’t afford more if Peter can return any moment. They put the popcorn in a bowl and move to the media area. Peter has already selected the movie; Hercules, one of his favourites. They settle, Darcy leaning her head on Bruce’s shoulder and Peter between them.

 

When all the others –and Loki- return later, they find Darcy and Bruce on the couch, whispering softly to avoid waking Peter who has fallen asleep between them. Darcy gently wakes him up.

 

“Hey, look who’s here” she says as she nudges him while Bruce sends them a threatening look to his fathers, to warn them to not blow a gasket. Peter yawns and opens his eyes, rubbing the sleep from them. He is up in a moment,  running over to his fathers. Steve scoops him up.

 

“Hey little buddy” he starts, but Peter cuts him off.

 

“I’m sorry and I’ll never be angry again if you go out to fight villains and you’re not stupid and I don’t hate you-“ All of the vacate the media area, Bruce and Darcy included.

 

“He is a good kid” Bruce tells his science bro as they pass him. Tony glances wearily at them.

 

“You’ll make good parents too, one day” he tells the couple. He’s too tired and beat-down to be sarcastic or snarky right now.

 

Bruce is surprised at the remark, but Darcy giggles and kisses him as soon as they are around the corner.

 

Maybe, they’ll be, one day.


End file.
